This invention relates generally to invalid devices and, more particularly, is directed to an invalid device of the type having telescoping leg supports for adjusting the height thereof.
Generally, in invalid devices, such as walkers, commodes, bath benches and the like, four vertical leg supports are provided and are interconnected by transverse bracing cross members. The cross members are generally connected to the vertical leg supports by bolts, rivets or the like passing through the respective cross member and vertical leg support at the point of connection therebetween. However, the through holes formed in the support legs to receive such bolts, rivets or the like result in an inherent weakness in the legs so that bending and shearing of the leg at such through holes is more prevalent.
In many cases, the support legs of the invalid device are formed in a telescoping manner, that is, with an outer telescoping member and an inner telescoping member. The outer telescoping member is formed with a plurality of vertically aligned apertures and the inner telescoping member is formed with an outwardly biased push button which engages in one of the vertically aligned apertures for adjusting the lengths of the legs to provide individualized adjustment.
It is important that the cross members interconnecting the support legs should be formed as low as possible to provide the greatest structural support for the invalid device. If the cross members are connected to the leg supports by the aforementioned arrangement, the bolts, rivets or the like will obstruct the inner telescoping member of each leg. As a result, the height adjustment that can be made for the invalid device is limited. To compensate for the above, and to provide a greater adjustability, some manufacturers of invalid devices position the cross members at the upper end of the invalid device, thereby providing, for example, an eleven hole adjustment for the telescoping members of the support legs, as opposed to a mere five hole adjustment for invalid devices by other manufacturers where the cross members are positioned lower along the support legs. However, because the cross members are positioned higher along the support legs, there is greater instability and less structural stability of the invalid device as opposed to those invalid devices where the cross members are positioned at a lower position along the support legs.
In addition, with invalid devices having telescoping support legs, where the cross members are properly positioned at a lower position along the support legs, because there is limited adjustability, the outer telescoping members must generally be made longer. It is therefore required that the packaging and shipping of such invalid devices be relatively bulky and costly.
Further, in such invalid devices, because the extent of adjustment is relatively small, it is required that separate invalid devices be manufactured for children and adults, thereby requiring that the cost of manufacture be increased.
In some cases, in order to eliminate the attachment as discussed above, steel cross members are provided and are secured to steel sleeves surrounding the support legs by welding. However, with this arrangement, the steel cross members and sleeves add weight of approximately one-half pound to the invalid device, which is relatively substantial. Further, the use of bolts, rivets or the like provide greater structural integrity than the steel welds. Thus, although the steel welds do not provide an obstruction to the telescoping support legs, various other disadvantages result therefrom.